Protection
by Arielle Beauvais
Summary: Someone admires Sakura...a little too much. When Sasuke gets a little overprotective of Sakura Naurto thinks of it as Sasuke's excuse to get close to his beloved Sakura...maybe its true?
1. The First Message

Yah, I decided to rewrite my other story so it made a whole lot more sense. I'm not even sure that sentence made sense. I'm trying to add more detail, I might be trying too hard so don't laugh at me. See, I've got this whole issue where I jump right to the point without really explaining anything. I also like to make little smiley faces like this one ('-') Happy Dance! ('-')

Author's note – March 7, 2006…I've edited this since I last wrote it. So it may be different if any of you have read it. This is something a saved from my old account because I thought it had potential. By the way, March 9th is my birthday!

Now the legal stuff: I do not own Naruto or anything even close to it. All I own is a dog, a collection of bracelets, earlobes that have been pierced three times, and a habit of writing too little detail.

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**Chapter One – Separate Sides**

They were different. That was as simple as you could put it. Their differences kept them apart for so many years, no matter how hard she tried or how long she held on. They had one thing in common though, determination. She was determined to win his heart; he was determined to push her away. No matter what happened, though, nothing would make them quit without a fight. She would never stop chasing him; he would never listen to her.

Before she went to sleep, Haruno Sakura thought about him. Both of them, her team. Naruto was always the goofy one (believe it!) and Sasuke…he was the quiet one. The one she tried so desperately to win over, but failed miserably each time.

She gave thought to Naruto and how she was wonderful in his eyes. How he chased after her, constantly calling her name and announcing that she loved him. She didn't love him. In a way, Sakura was like Naruto. His annoying infatuation toward her must be like that she had towards Sasuke.

She gave extra thought to Sasuke; so much thought that her brain needed rest. He was wonderful in her eyes. He would always be wonderful in her eyes. But he would also always be cold toward her. Especially since he had tons of other girls eyeing him and giggling when he walked by. He would be sure to find the perfect girl for him, secretive and quiet. Not like Sakura with a loud mouth and a large forehead.

Tonight, in particular, she felt lonelier than she usually did. Without her parents with her, off on a mission she supposed, it was quiet and the atmosphere seemed colder and eerier. What was she thinking! She's a ninja; she can kick butt if it tried to attack her in the middle of the night. Then why was she so scared?

They weren't _really_ ninjas. Only inexperienced trainees. Maybe that's why Sakura felt unprotected and alone. She had, in fact, met Naruto and Sasuke and Kakashi just months ago. She knew that Naruto was courageous and that Sasuke was the best ninja, but what was she? Was she just what they always told her, brains? She was beginning to feel weak and insignificant compared to everyone else.

She shuddered. If she was so weak then she couldn't really fend off advanced ninjas in the middle of the night. She yearned for Sasuke…maybe even Naruto. Just some sort of company throughout the night.

By now the sun had left view. The stars shone dimly, but Sakura could tell that they were there. A moon shone through a layer of misty clouds darkening her surroundings which only worried her more as she entered her darkened room.

It was hours before she started to drift off to sleep. For some reason she felt like someone was watching her. Maybe lots of people feel like that when they are alone in a house in the night. Maybe she was just noticing it now. She kept these thoughts in her head until she finally fell asleep…but not for long.

Maybe just hours later a starling crash echoed through the halls. Sakura bolted upward. Her heart was pounding fiercely as she listened to hushed voices coming from the kitchen. She gulped and breathed in deeply. Then she stepped out into the open and wandered carefully towards her kitchen.

There were certainly people there, but Sakura almost recognized one of them. She stepped into the open, no longer against the wall. She guessed right.

"NARUTO! What are you doing here?" Sakura yelled at the startled boy who was looking through Sakura's food.

"It was all Sasuke's idea," Naruto defended himself while still pondering around.

"Sasuke…" she breathed. "Where is he?"

Naruto did not need to answer. Just then Sasuke came into sight, checking under furniture and in enclosed spaces. Then he slinked off into another area out of sight. Sakura froze. Sasuke was searching her house! What if he found something 'personal'?

"What is going on, Naruto?" she sighed and slapped her forehead.

"Well, it all started when I was eating ramen. There was this big crash…I don't know what it was. But I ran for it and bumped into Sasuke who bumped into some other guy. When I tried to apologize to this man, he got all sweaty and ran off…but he dropped something," Naruto paused and stared at Sakura.

"And?" Sakura watched as Sasuke slid around the corner again.

"It was this note and Sasuke picked it up and it was addressed to you. I didn't read it, but Sasuke crumpled it up and stuffed it in his pocket. He got all angry and stuff and ordered me to follow him to your house. I told him we shouldn't disturb sweet Sakura-chan while so was sleeping, but he had to be the big showoff he is and come here," Naruto smiled his big, obnoxious smile.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura looked around her for the investigating Sasuke. "What are you doing here so late?"

Sasuke stopped and glared at Naruto and then he gaze swept over to Sakura and he quickly looked at his pocket. He tore out the crumpled note and threw it at Naruto's head then continued his search for the unknown.

Naruto smiled and Sakura and opened the note. He stretched out the wrinkles so he could read it and began to frown. "Pervert." He said shortly and handed the note to Sakura.

Inside the piece of paper was a sakura petal that had been ripped and wrinkled. Only five words were written in untidy scrawl.

_I will be watching you_

Naruto was overjoyed to hear Sasuke announce that they would be spending that night at Sakura's residence. He said it was strictly for protection purposes. Naruto was still exited, though, and beamed every time Sakura passed him, making tea.

She poured the tea into cups and placed them in front of Naruto and Sasuke before bustling off to find extra blankets and pillows. Sasuke still had not said a word. Naruto kept muttering to him that he only suggested they stay there was so Sasuke could 'get close to Sakura-chan'.

Sasuke remained silent. Naruto babbled on about how he was only using the note as an excuse to be near Sakura and how Naruto did not like that. When Sakura came back into the room, Sasuke looked relieved. Naruto glared at Sasuke as he helped Sakura place the blankets in the main hall.

"I'm going off to sleep now," Sakura looked tired from her shock. "I'll wake you in the morning."

Something told her, as she exited the room, that Sasuke would not need waking. She blushed. Maybe he would keep watch all night, protecting _her_!

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Thanks for reading my re-do of an old story. Hope you like it! Remember I metioned my birthday? Ten bonus points to anyone who can guess how old I am turning/turned on March 9th!


	2. A Long Night

Thanks for the lovely reviews! I got home from school and I had just posted the fanfic that morning and I had sixteen new emails. My best friend, Claudia, was on the phone to wish me a happy birthday and I said "Omigawsh!" And she asked me why I said that and told her that I had tons of reviews. She got jealous because she wants to be famous with tons of fans!

On with the story…

…but first the disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything related. I wish I owned Uchiha Sasuke…but sadly, I don't.

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"Naruto! For the last time," Sasuke wore an expression of complete rage, "go…to…sleep!" He said the last words slowly as if Naruto could not understand anything. 

Sasuke and Naruto were in Sakura's main hall. Sasuke was leaning against the front door while Naruto sat across the room, leaning against Sakura's door. Naruto crossed his arms stubbornly. Sasuke looked like he would stab Naruto with a fork. Both of them glared at each other.

"No," Naruto said simply. He pointed his nose in the air.

"Why not," Sasuke tried to keep his temper. He might wake Sakura if he attempted to strangle Naruto.

"If I fall asleep you'll certainly sneak into Sakura-Chan's room," Naruto put his hands behind his head.

"Why would I do that?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like something you would do."

"I know your secret…you're the stalker!" Naruto pointed a finger at Sasuke. "If you come anywhere close to my Sakura's room I'll-"

Naruto collapsed to the ground. His snores filled the silent air and Sasuke's eye twitched. Naruto had just fallen asleep in the middle of a conversation. _Idiot_, Sasuke thought silently. He glanced over at Sakura's door and then at the windows and at the front door. If anyone was going to get to Sakura they would have to pass him first.

He thought for a brief moment. What _would_ he do if anyone came after Sakura? Would he really risk everything for a little girl who was obsessed with him? The answer he heard in his head shocked him. Yes, he would risk everything he had for Sakura.

Naruto grunted something about ramen and Sakura-Chan before Sasuke finally decided to try and catch some sleep. He would wake up easily if anything happened…at least he really hoped he would.

Sasuke was only asleep for an hour or two before a small whimper from Sakura's room awoke him. It sounded like she was crying. Sasuke lifted himself and drowsily walked toward the heap on the ground (Naruto).

With his foot, Sasuke rolled Naruto over so he was no longer blocking the path to Sakura's door. Naruto grunted and shifted slightly, landing on Sasuke's foot. Sasuke sighed; Naruto was now hugging Sasuke's leg. Sasuke thought he distinctly heard Naruto mumble 'Sakura-Chan'.

Sasuke pushed him over again and opened the door to Sakura's room slowly. She was whimpering feverishly. Her eyes fluttered open when Sasuke approached her, one hand in his pocket. He pushed a chair closer to her bedside and eyed the open window. Something didn't feel right.

"I had a dream…" Sakura smiled at him. She spoke quietly and her eyes were still closed.

"Hmm." Sasuke responded as if inviting her to tell him the details.

"It was silly. It would never come true." She sighed bitterly to herself.

Sakura was silent for a long time, Sasuke watching her through one open eye. At one point, her hand began to shake. He stood up and swept across the room to the window. He closed it and glared out of it for a short second. There was a glint in the corner of Sasuke's eye, like something running outside the Haruno residence. It would be best to stay in here with her and watch for anything.

Sasuke seated himself again in the chair. Sakura's hand still quivered so he naturally put his hand on top of it. Sleep took over him a few minutes after that. It had, after all been a long night…but the morning wouldn't be any better.

Morning light shone through Sasuke's heavy eyelids. He felt Sakura's hand still under his, it felt cold and shaky. He looked up at the window…it was open. His brow furrowed in puzzlement. He had closed it, hadn't he?

Naruto could've opened it, he thought. He glanced at Sakura's door where Naruto still lay in the same position that he was in the night before. Sasuke looked at Sakura, she still lay unharmed. Maybe Sasuke was imagining things. Maybe.

He strode over to the open window and closed it. When he was turning, he caught sight of a folded piece of paper much like the one he had found the day before.

Sasuke unfolded the paper and growled. In the same untidy scrawl as before it read six words that made his fists clench and his blood boil:

_Keep your hands off my Sakura_

Sasuke crumpled the paper and ground it under his foot. Someone definitely had their eye on Sakura, but Sasuke wouldn't give her up without a fight.

Later that morning, when Naruto and Sakura had woken up, they stood in the kitchen while Sakura bustled about making tea again. Sasuke felt the piece of paper tucked away in his pocket. He would show Naruto later, but he wouldn't show Sakura. He didn't want to frighten her.

"So, Sasuke, I'd like a word with you." Naruto stared at Sasuke.

"What?" Sasuke said coldly.

"It's just about your late night meeting with Sakura, you liar! You told me you didn't want Sakura-Chan, but you are clearly a liar because _you_ LIED!" Naruto put his fists into balls at his side.

Sakura stopped what she was doing and blushed. "Naruto…what are you talking about?" She knew that Sasuke had come into her room and stayed there for the rest of the night, but she dare not tell Naruto that. He'd think of it as a setup.

"I got up really late to see if you had some ramen because I was hungry since I dreamed about ramen," he stopped for a moment and drooled. "Anyway, I saw Sasuke touching your hand after he said that he didn't want to sneak into your room in the middle of the night. That's why I valiantly guarded it from him for you, Sakura!" Naruto beamed up at Sakura.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sasuke growled. But he looked at Sakura who smiled.

He knew that smile, he would never forget it. And he most definitely wouldn't let anyone else have it, no matter how many threats and notes they left! He would risk everything for a little girl with an innocent smile that was obsessed with him. She just would never know it.

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Thanks for reading my second chapter! I edited it a bit from the original (once again, if you've ever read the orginal) Last nightI had a better idea in my head then I originally wrote in this chapter that was sitting, unused, on my desktop so I was anxious to fix it, but it was like 2 in the morning and I couldn't fall back asleep and I decided to paint my toe nails. I painted one toe nail orange before I relized that it was a stupid idea to paint my toes in the middle of the night.So now I have one orange toe nail. 

And one more thing - I just turned between 10-14 years old so I re-did my profile. Now's your chance to learn my _REAL_ name before I change my profile yet again. And, no, my _real_ name is not Brielle or Arielle.

and one last, last thing - Someone wanted to know what inspired me to write this and the truth is it's for a video I saw. If you go to YouTube . com and search for the user Himeno or the video 'Sakura Dreamland' you'll find my favorite video in the world. That is why I wrote this story.


	3. Hidden Kiss

Thanks for the reviews and 1,000+ page views! This chapter may seem a tiny bit out of character. I try to keep my stories as in character as possible because we've all read those ones where Sasuke is a chatterbox and Sakura breaks into peoples houses and Naruto is a bloodthirsty killer. I know those type of stories are more interesting...but…they sometimes scare me.

Anyways, I'm going a little bit out of character. What's a fanfiction without Sasuke doing something un-Sasukeish? Plus, he needed something to do to pass the hours while waiting for his Sakura-Chan. I also need to ask, is it true he really likes tomatoes? People keep telling me that and I'm thinking that I missed something…

I need to say a really big thanks to 4ever2belove for pointing out my little typo in the title. 'Portection' was really meant to be 'Protection' and I've changed it now so it's all good. Thanks big time!

Now the never-forgotten Disclaimer: If I did own Naruto or anything related, I don't think I'd be a caffeine addicted little girl who spends her time drinking Lipton Iced Tea and painting one nail orange while writing stories about my own fantasies with miss spelled titles. In other words, I do not own Naruto or anything closely related.

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**Chapter Three: Hidden Kiss**

"I must restore my clan and seek out revenge." Naruto said while crossing his arms and leaning against the wall and Sasuke wandered aimlessly around the room, sighing occasionally.

The wind howled through the halls and caused the Haruno residence shudder. Moonlight escaped through holes in the drawn curtains, casting long and lonely shadows. Sasuke sighed again and walked into Sakura's room. He came back out holding one of her sandals and held it against his chest.

"I miss my beloved Sakura-Chan," Sasuke sighed deeply and held the sandal out in front of him. "Now I can only await her return and stare at her sandal."

"Get a life, Sasuke," Naruto said tonelessly.

"I should get some ramen!" Sasuke said, smiling wide and bounding into the kitchen and bringing back a bowl of ramen. He placed the shoe on the table and began to shovel mouthfuls of ramen into his mouth.

Naruto drooled a tiny bit but then attempted to look at Sasuke in disgust. "You eat way too much ramen. No wonder you're a hopeless ninja."

"Yes, but nothing can suppress my grief. I long for my Sakura-Chan," Sasuke grabbed the sandal.

Sasuke did not notice the jiggling of the front door handle until it was too late. The words left his mouth and seemed to echo endlessly in her ears. "I love my Sakura!" That was when he saw the shocked face of Naruto. Sasuke swung around where he saw Sakura wearing a similar expression as Naruto.

"Sasuke…why do you have my sandal," Sakura spoke timidly trying to get the situation to make sense in her mind. It didn't register. Sasuke announcing his love for her and worshipping her sandal just didn't register in her mind…at all.

"Sakura…um…" Sasuke's dreamy look faded and he dropped the sandal which landed on the ground. They were stuck in a moment of awkward silence. Sasuke focusing on the sandal, trying to avoid any eye contact, Sakura not knowing whether to be confused or overjoyed, and Naruto glancing back and forth.

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"Me and Sasuke were just fooling around," Naruto enlightened Sakura while she made tea. Again. "We were bored so we got into this fight and I said I could be him and day. I mean all he does is glare at people and not talk." Sasuke glared at Naruto from across the table. "And he said he would never want to be as hopelessly clueless as me, but he knew he couldn't resist trying to impersonate me while I emulated him." Naruto beamed.

"Sakura," Sasuke spoke finally. The serious look was now back on his face.

"Yes, Sasuke-kun," Sakura cooed. She placed the cups in front of each of them and sat down.

"Where were you?" Sasuke tried to stay calm, but it wasn't working.

"I was just out at the park. The cherry blossoms are blooming and I wanted to be there to see them." Sakura smiled her innocent smile that almost drove Sasuke mad.

"And did you meet anybody there?" Sasuke said coolly.

"Someone did say hello to me. Why?" Sakura focused on her tea. She could tell Sasuke would be getting mad if she said anything else.

He didn't answer. He stood up again and crossed the room. Before he left the kitchen he turned around and spoke tonelessly like Naruto had done before, "We're staying here for the next few nights, Naruto." Then he strode from sight.

In the morning, Sasuke woke earlier than usual. He had heard something strange and noticed that he had been pushed away from his usual spot, guarding the front door. A note lay by his pillow and he picked it up.

_I went to the park again._

_Don't be angry._

_I hate it when you're angry with me._

_Sakura_

Sasuke's throat emitted a growl. Naruto was fifty feet from his usual spot, snoring and mumbling once again about ramen. Sasuke sighed and stood up drowsily. He swayed to Sakura's room, his head pounding.

He knew it.

On the window seat was a white tulip and an opened note. Sasuke immediately recognized the same untidy words and furiously stormed out of Sakura's room. He forcefully threw the note at Naruto's head and Naruto groggily unfolded it:

_I saw you yesterday,_

_By the Sakura tree._

_And I knew_

_I must talk to you again._

Sasuke waited for Naruto to finish reading the note before he tore open the front door and walked speedily down the path to the park, waiting for Naruto to catch up with him. They continued walking in silence, Naruto taking a second to stare at Sasuke.

_He really looks determined_, Naruto thought.

They saw Sakura's unforgettable hair from over the hilltop and Sasuke growled at Naruto, "Stay here." Naruto did as he was told while Sasuke went to retrieve Sakura who had not spotted them yet.

Sakura was conversing with a young man whose face was hidden from Sasuke's view. Sasuke didn't think to try to get a better look at this man; his brain didn't seem to be working properly.

He grabbed Sakura's elbow and dragged her up back to Naruto. They walked the rest of the way back to Sakura's house in silence, Sasuke still gripping Sakura's upper arm.

When they reached her home, Sasuke proceeded to drag Sakura into her room. When Naruto tried to follow them in, Sasuke slammed the door in his face. He let go of Sakura's arm and stared at her in the eye.

"Sasuke…I told you not to be mad," Sakura's eyes watered in the corners just a tiny bit. "Please, please, please don't be angry."

"Do you know what could've happened? Someone is after you Sakura, don't realize that?" Sasuke glared at her. "Don't ever do that again." He said is so calmly, but so powerfully.

Sasuke turned around to face her window. She began to walk towards the door, but he grabbed her wrist again and pulled her into a…

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…tight hug. He wrapped his arms around her and she rested her head on his shoulder. Even if it was just a hug it was all Sakura needed and it meant more to her than anything else in the world right now. Besides, she got the feeling that maybe he really was sending her a kiss. A hidden kiss.

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Thanks for reading! Sorry about the commercial breaks, but I needed to add to the suspense. And it worked! You thought I would seriously make them kiss in only chapter three! I did this for my sister because she was begging me to make them kiss so I can't wait to see her face when she reads this. I can be so cruel sometimes. Plus, if they kissed now, it wouldn't really be a story; I'd be too tempted to just end it right then and there.

Note about the commercials: Those aren't the actual words. I just needed something to build up the angst so I used snippets from commercials I've seen.


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